Air cleansing and humidifying machine.



H. E. LEACH.

AIR CLEANSING AND HUMIDIPYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APILIQ, 1913. 1,'1 00,677, Patented June 16, 1914.

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Inventor Witnesses by Atto rn eys UNITED STATES OFFICE.

HARVEY E. LEACI-I, OF MILES CITY, MONTANA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JEREMIAH A. BURGER, OF MILES CITY, MONTANA.

AIR CLEANSING AND HUMIDIFYING MACHINE.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, HARVEY E. LEACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Miles City, in the county of Custer and State of Montana, have invented a new and useful Air Cleansing and Humidifying Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for humidifying and cleansing air.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved humidifier whereby the air will be passed through suitable curtains or screens saturated with water prior to entering the rooms of a building.

A further object is to provide a constantly revolving screen through which air is forced and a water containing trough or receptacle at the lower extremity of the revolving screen through which the said screen passes, whereby the screen will absorb a suitable quantity of moisture and at the same time will be relieved of dust,'or other objectionable foreign material.

VVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part thereof, the preferable form of my invention is illustrated, in which :d

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of my improved system. Fig. 2 is a front view in elevation of my improved humidifying apparatus. Fig. 3 is a side view thereof. Fig. 4 is a fragmental detail view showing the manner in which the constantly revolving or moving screen is secured to a driving chain.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 is an air pipe or conduit and in which is disposed the heating coil 2. A second coil 3 is disposed within the conduit 1 and spaced between the two heating coils 2 and 3 is the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led April 19, 1913.

Patented June 16, 1914.

Serial No. 762,341.

air cleanser and humidifier, generally designated at 4 and the mechanically operated fan or blower 5. llith the said heating coils, and fan or blower arranged as described, the air in passing through the conduit l encounters the coil 2 and is heated thereby to thereby allow the air to pick up a great amount of moisture from the humidifier or cleanser 4 through which the air then passes. The air flowing through the constantly moving screen or curtain comes in contact with the water carried thereby and takes up an appreciable quantity thereof and also deposits the dust and any objectionable foreign material which may be present therein. The air will be slightly cooled by the evaporation of water and the moisture which it absorbs and in order to again bring up the temperature to the required degree, the second heating coil 3 is positioned within the tube and beyond the said air cleanser and humidifier. In order to provide for positive ventilation, the fan blower 5 is positioned within the conduit l, it being noted that the various elements herein pointed out are depicted in the drawings more in the nature of a diagram than as disclosing the structural details thereof.

The air cleanser and humidifier as illustrated in Figs, 2 and 3 of the drawings comprises a base which is formed in the nature of a trough or open ended tank 6. The said trough or tank 6 is of peculiar configuration and as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings comprises an upper triangular portion 7 through which the curtain or screen passes during the constant revolution thereof and communicating with the triangular portion 7 is a second compartment 8 disposed therebelow and having restricted communication therewith, whereby dust and other foreign material which is washed from the screen as its passes through the water contained in the upper tank or compartment 7 settles through the restricted opening connecting the two tanks and is deposited in the lower compartment 8. Thus the upper compartment 7 is kept practically free from foreign material until the lower compartment 8 is completely filled, at which time, by the inlet 9 which communicates with the said compartment, the said tank is flushed with the result that dust and other foreign material will be completely removed therefrom, the same passing out through the exit or outlet cured to the upper extremities of which are the pillow blocks 12 and mounted in said.

pillow blocks and extending therebetween is the shaft 13. A mechanically operated shaft i 14 is journaled within suitable bearings adjacent the lower extremities of the supporti ing posts 11 and -a drum 15 is rigidly secured thereto and revolves, the lower surface of the said drum extending within the triangular portion 7 of the tank whereby the screen or curtain 16 which passes around the said drum, passes through the liquid contained within the compartment 7 and is cleansed thereby as well as saturated with the liquid contained therein.

Rigidly secured to the shaft 13 is a drum 17 fand secured between the drums 15 and 17 is the screen or curtain 16 and in order to provide means whereby the same will be continuously moved or revolved, the sprocket wheels 18 vare rigidly secured to the shafts 18 and 14 and extending` between which are the sprocket wheel chains, a detail of one link thereof illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The curtain or screen 16 may be formed of a wire of extremely fine mesh or some cloth-like material. In the latter case, suitable stretching rods 20 will be employed in order to keep the cloth-like material in a stretched condition- As illust-rated in F ig. 4 of the drawings, each of the links 21 of the sprocket chain is provided with lan inwardly projecting arm 22 preferably formed integral therewith and which arm is rigidly secured or gripped to enga-ge the said strip of flexible material 16. The ends of the moving strip of material are laced together as vat 23 to thereby form a continuous strip of idexible material which is adapted to revolve between the two drums, passing through said tank while so revolving.

In order that the two communicating compartments of the tank 6 may be kept filled with a liquid to a suitable level, a suitable liquid supply pipe 24 is provided and serves to introduce a suitable amount of water and constantly supply the same during the operation of the apparatus. A pipe 25 communicates with the compartment 7, terminating at the level at which it is desired to keep the liquid at and the same also communicates with the outlet or drain pipe 10. Villre air cleanser and humidifier is installed in an air conduit so that the air passing thro-ugh the said conduit for the ventilation ot the building will of necessity, pass through said moving strip of material and will thereby become lad-en with moisture and at the same time be cleansed by the depositing of dust or other foreign material upon the said moving strip. The heating coils arranged at both sides of the humidifier allows the apparatus to be used in cold weather without danger of freezing as the air will be heated prior to its passage through said moving strip. The iirst heating coil also tends to heat the air with the result that the moisture will be more readily taken up by the air and a relatively greater amount will be absorbed from the water saturated strip. The air in passing through the screen, evaporating the water will give up a certain quantity of heat which will considerably cool the air. In order to brin-g the said air up to the required teinperature, it is passed through the second coil from which it is delivered to the various parts ot the building. The fan or blower 5 provides lor positive ventilation and tends to force the air through the screen, it being pointed out that it will encounter considerable resistance in so doing. By continuously revolving said strip o1 flexible material, it provides that the dust and foreign material will be removed from the textile screen as fast as it is deposited thereon so that a cleaning and water saturated surface will be constantly presented to the air. It is also pointed out that in order for the air to pass through the cleanser and humidifier it is necessary vfor it to traverse or pass through two layers of the textile screen. Should it be so desired, a brush such as indicated at 2G couldbe installed within the trough and would contact with the moving textile screen to keep the same in a clean and brushed condition.

Having thus fully described the invention what I claim to be new and original with me is:-

1. An air cleanser and humidifier comprising a liquid containing tank including upper and lower compartn'ients communicating substantially throughout their entire length, and a continuous strip of material revolubly secured to the said tank and adapted to pass therethrough to become saturated with the liquid therein and to be cleansed thereby.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tank comprising two compartments communica ting substantially throughout their entire length, standards projecting upwardly from the said tank and supporting therebetween rotatable shafts, sprocket wheels secured to the said shafts and provided with sprocket wheel chains extending therebetween adapted to si1nultaneously rotate the two shafts, a strip of textile material Icarried by the said shafts and adapted to pass through the upper of said tank compartments, and means for holding the said textile material in a stretch-ed con-dition.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of two compartments having restricted communication throughout substantially their entire length and forming a liquid receiving tank, upwardly projecting standards at the ends of said tank and rigidly secured thereto, rotatable shafts supported by said standards and extending therebetween, means for simultaneously rotating said shafts, a continuous strip of textile material passing around and between the said shafts and adapted to pass through the upper of said tank compartments, and spreader strips extending transversely of said strip and adapted to hold the same in a stretched condition.

t. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tank including two compartments in restricted communication throughout substantially their entire length, said tank provided with supporting posts projecting upwardly therefrom, rotatable shafts secured to the said posts and extending therebetween, drums rigidly secured to said shafts, means extending between said shafts adjacent said posts adapted to simultaneously rotate said drums, a strip of flexible material passing over and around the said drums and revolubly carried thereby and adapted to pass through the upper of said tank compartments, and spreader strips extending transversely of sa-id strip and adapted to hold the same in a stretched condition.

5. An air cleanser and humidifier comprising a liquid containing tank including upper and lower compartments restrictedly communicating throughout substantially their entire length, a continuous strip of flexible material, means carried by said tank for holding the same in a revoluble position, said strip adapted to pass through the upper of said compartments to become saturated with the liquid therein and to be cleansed thereby.

6. An air cleanser and humidifier comprising a liquid containing tank including upper and lower compartments, the said compartments separated by an inclined wall, the said compartments in restricted communication throughout substantially their entire length, a continuous strip of flexible material, means carried by said tank for holding the same in a revoluble position, said strip adapted to pass through the upper of said compartments t0 become saturated with the liquid therein and to be cleaned thereby, the foreign material deposited within the said tank settling within the lower compartment.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARVEY E. LEACH.

Witnesses:

O. CHRISTOPHER, J. A. BURGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing,r the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D'. C. 

